


Grandchild Wranglers

by HPfanonezillion



Category: Bloodlines Series - Richelle Mead, Vampire Academy Series - Richelle Mead
Genre: Adorable, Babies, Baby, Babysitting, Children, F/F, F/M, Family, Grandchildren, Kids, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-11
Updated: 2013-11-11
Packaged: 2018-01-01 03:29:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1039819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HPfanonezillion/pseuds/HPfanonezillion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sydney and Adrian agree to watch their grandchildren so that their children and daughters-in-law can have a night out with adult conversation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Grandchild Wranglers

"Are you sure about this, Mom?" Marti asked as she sat Jakob on the floor.  
He crawled across the room to Katya. She kneeled down beside him and he gave a happy squeal that sounded a lot like "Hi!"  
"We'll be fine." Sydney assured her. "You go have fun with Beverly and the others. You all deserve a little adult time with your spouses."  
"But you and Dad—"  
"Can handle four kids. Jill and Eddie will be over later to help."  
Marti nodded and handed over the diaper bag. "His blanket's in there and a few extra changes of clothes, just in case. He'll eat pretty much anything. His favorite is mashed potatoes. He usually ends up wearing it, so strip him down and then straight to the tub is what we usually do. What else?" The last she asked herself.  
"Marti, I've raised three kids. I know a thing or two. I understand you're nervous, but it will be okay. I'll call you if there is anything I need to know."  
She nodded. "Jakey, Mommy's leaving."  
Jakob looked up at his name and then crawled to his mother.  
"You could walk if you wanted, you know."  
He smiled and pressed his face into her neck. He sighed.  
"I love you, baby boy. Mama does too. We'll be back to get you later, okay?" She kissed him and then handed him to her mother.  
Sydney walked her to the door. "Tell Mommy 'see you later.'"  
Jakob waved. Marti noticed the tears in his eyes. She gave him another kiss and whispered, "I love you, my boy." He started wailing as she stepped away. "You'll be okay." She opened the door. "It's just like staying with Uncle Josh and Aunt Ivanna. You’re even in the same place." She stepped outside. "Call or text if you need anything, Mom."  
"I will." Sydney assured her. "Bye-bye, Mommy."  
Marti finally shut the door and leaned against it with a sigh.  
She climbed into the car with Beverly and wiped at her eyes.  
"He'll be okay." Her wife assured her.  
Marti nodded. "Josh and Ivanna should be out soon."  
"Want to make out while we wait?" Beverly asked with a wink.  
"I don't want to ruin my makeup." Marti squeezed her wife’s hand.  
Josh and Ivanna walked out the door to their building a few minutes later and slid into the back of Beverly's car.  
"Sorry." Ivanna said. "Katya was being clingy. Phoebe and Natalya could care less. They're excited for Jakob and their grandparents being there."  
"Are Mom and Dad going to be okay with all four?" Marti asked.  
"No problem, sis." Josh assured her. "They'll be fine."  
"I'm going to need a drink." Marti mumbled.  
Beverly kissed her hand. "No, you're not."

 

Adrian soothed his oldest grandchild while Sydney did the same for their youngest. The middle two sat and waited for all the drama to stop.  
Katya sat back after a moment and wiped her eyes. "Mommy and Daddy are coming back?"  
"Later. They went to spend the night Your aunts." Adrian assured her. "That's why Jakob's here."  
The boy looked over at the mention of his name.  
"We'll be okay." Adrian assured all of them. He was partially saying it to himself as much as them.  
"Jake stinky." Natalya said.  
Sydney laughed. "Are you sure it's Jake and not you?" She stood. "Your Mommy said you needed to sit on the potty. So you'll do that while I change your cousin."  
After they left the room, Phoebe stared between them and her older sister. She ran after the others. "I have to potty!"  
“She’s following you, Syd.” Adrian called after her.  
“I got her.” Sydney assured him.  
Katya looked at her grandfather a long time after they were alone. She examined his face with a scrutiny that surprised him for someone so small.  
"Grandpa?" She asked finally.  
"Yes, Katya?"  
"You're Moroi like my mommy and Grammy Jill, right?"  
He grinned and nodded. "That's right. Do you know what that means?"  
"You drink blood." She said with confidence.  
He nodded again. "That's true, too."  
"I asked Mommy if I could try it and she said no."  
Adrian chuckled. "Honey, you're a dhampir. You don't need blood."  
"Like Daddy!"  
"Exactly. You are strong and you don't get sick very easily. And you can go out into the sun. Moroi like me and your mommy and Grammy Jill can only go in the sun for a short time. It makes us sick. Drinking blood helps us stay strong and healthy. As well as eating foods that are good for us. All you need to do is eat right."  
"Mommy says I don't have to be a guardian like Daddy if I don't want to be."  
"That's right. Aunt Marti's not a guardian."  
"She's a mechanic!" The girl announced happily.  
"That's right!" Adrian said with a laugh. He kissed her cheek noisily.  
"So what are we doing first?" Sydney asked as she walked back into the room with the other three.  
"You wanted to make cookies." Adrian said.  
"I want to make cookies." Katya said.  
"Cookies!" Phoebe and Natalya said at the same time.  
"What do you think, Jake?" Sydney asked the baby in her arms.  
He smiled up at her and then rested his head on her chest.  
"Then let's get baking." Adrian stood and hoisted Katya into the air. "Super Katerina and her super baking powers!" He flew her around the room as she and her sisters squealed. He sat her hard on the couch and she laughed as she bounced.  
"Me, Grandpa. Me!" Natalya said, holding her arms up.  
"My turn next, Grandpa." Phoebe pleaded.  
He lifted Phoebe up. "Super Phoebe and her powers of adorableness!" He flew her the same route as her older sister, dropping her on the couch in the same manner.  
Natalya lifted her arms up and blinked her eyes at him. “Please?”  
Adrian chuckled and hoisted her up. "Super Natalya and her power to make Grandpa do anything she wants him to." He zoomed her around the room and plopped her down beside her sisters.  
Jakob blinked several times and then held out his arms to Adrian.  
"You too?" He gathered his grandson in his arms and kissed his face.  
"Jakob has super pooping power!" Katya announced. She and her sisters giggled.  
"Katerina." Sydney scolded.  
Adrian laughed. "It's true, baby. Super Jakob with his super pooping powers!"  
Jakob squealed just as loudly as his cousins as he flew through the air. When he was done with the flight, Adrian pulled the boy to his chest. "He looks like my mom."  
"Marti looks like an exact copy of her sometimes." Sydney pointed out as they ushered everyone into the kitchen.  
"Yeah. I think that's part of how Dad came around in the end. He fell in love with her face twice." He strapped Jakob into the high chair. He pulled his chiming phone out of his pocket.  
"Speaking of Marti. 'How is Jakob?'" He replied that all was fine. "Don't worry, baby." He added on the end.  
Sydney started gathering the ingredients and bowls needed for making cookies. She had gone over a shopping list with Ivanna the day before and made sure to get what they would need.  
"What are we going to have for lunch, Grammy?" Katya asked.  
"Lunch?" Sydney was puzzled a moment. "Oh, right, night schedule. Confused for a minute. We are going on a picnic with Grammy Jill and Papa Eddie."  
"Is Papa bringing macaroni salad?"  
Sydney laughed. "I think so."  
"Good. We could both eat out wright in that, Mommy says."  
"You're probably right." She kissed the top of her granddaughter's head.  
Adrian spent a majority of the cookie-making time playing with Jakob and Natalya. The youngest girl was mostly in the way anyway. She kept pulling up on the high chair, almost pulling it over in the process.  
Finally, Sydney said, "Adrian, please just go get them interested in the blocks."  
"Gladly. But first." He wrapped his arms around her and dipped her back, planting a kiss to her mouth. "Thank you."  
"For what?" She asked with a giggle when she was upright.  
"If you hadn't said yes when it came to Josh and Marti, we wouldn't have these guys." He unstrapped Jakob and picked him up as Natalya tugged her way up his leg.  
Jakob was chewing on a block when his mother sent another text. "Is he okay? I think he has a tooth coming in. He was fussy yesterday."  
Adrian answered. "He's gnawing on a block, but not fussy. Don't worry."  
"If he does get fussy, there is teething gel in the diaper bag."  
"Okay. Stop worrying. We love you, but so does your wife. Pay attention to her for a few hours."  
"Thanks, Daddy."  
"Your older daughter just let me know that Jakob may be teething. I'm pretty sure we already had that discussion when we were all talking about the four of them taking time together away from the kids."  
"I want Mommy." Phoebe suddenly said. Her lip quivered and a tear fell from her eye.  
"I know, baby." Sydney picked her up and carried her into the living room. "All the cookies are in the oven."  
"Good." Adrian pulled his grandson and youngest granddaughter to his chest. "I didn't realize just how blessed we all are." He kissed both of them.  
Katya jumped on his back. "Be a pony, Grandpa!"  
He laughed and pulled her over his shoulder. "A pony? Why a pony?"  
"Tell him it's because ponies are pretty." Sydney said with a grin.  
"Grandpa is pretty like a pony!" Katya announced.  
Phoebe giggled and climbed off her grandmother's lap. She tackled Adrian. "Grandpa pretty!"  
He laughed as they all piled on. "Watch out for Jake, girls." He warned as they all giggled and climbed all over him.  
His grandson grabbed his face and stared at him in so much seriousness that he laughed. "Now you look like Grammy Sydney."  
Jakob let out a happy coo and turned to his grandmother. He crawled to where she sat on the couch and pulled himself up. "Hi." He said.  
Sydney laughed and lifted him up. "Hi yourself, Jakob." She cuddled him close as Adrian rolled around on the floor and chased the girls around the room on his hands and knees pretending to be a lion.  
Natalya squealed and launched herself at Adrian. The Moroi lost his balance and fell backward. He laughed as the other girls once again piled on top of him.  
The buzzer went off in the kitchen. "Come on, Jake. We'll see about the cookies." She sat him down as far away from the stove as possible. As she opened the oven door, though, the boy moved closer. "Hot, Jakey. Don't get any closer."  
"Hot?" He asked in his sweet little voice, toddling a few steps as he held onto the cabinet.  
"Yes. Hot. Hurt you." She took the sheet pans out and sat them on top of the stove as Jakob watched from a safe distance.  
"Is the cookies ready, Grammy?" Katya asked.  
"Are the cookies ready?" She corrected. "They need to cool a bit. Let's make some sandwiches for the picnic."  
Adrian helped Sydney and the girls with this task as Jakob banged pan lids on the floor. He sang and babbled the entire time. When he took a break in his talking, Sydney looked down and smiled.  
"You will be a great talker like your Mommy." She commented. "Sometimes once you get her started, she won't stop."  
Adrian smiled fondly and tucked a piece of Sydney's hair behind her ear. "Like you. On subjects you know especially."  
The doorbell rang and the girls all raced to answer.  
"Who is it?" Katya called.  
"Nobody important." A familiar male voice said.  
"Papa!" They all squealed and threw themselves at the door.  
Adrian chuckled and opened it for their scrambling hands. "Reinforcements!"  
Eddie laughed. "Yes. Hey, my girls!"  
"Papa, we made cookies!" Katya announced.  
"I helped-ed." Phoebe said, climbing up his legs.  
“You did?” He lifted her up and gave her a loud kiss on the cheek. “Hi!”  
Natalya bypassed her grandfather for Jill. “Grammy.” She reached up her arms and flexed her fingers.  
“Talya.” She grinned and held the girl close.  
Jakob crawled over in all the excitement and sat down on the floor and clapped his hands happily. He started babbling as the adults talked and the girls told Eddie all about the wrestling and making of cookies.  
He suddenly screeched, “Hey!”  
Adrian stopped talking abruptly and looked down. “What?”  
The boy grew embarrassed and put his head down.  
Adrian chuckled and picked him up. “Say that again.”  
“Mama.” He said, looking over at the door.  
“Mama will be here later.”  
He sniffed and put his head on his grandfather’s shoulder.  
“Can we go picnic?” Katya asked.  
“Sure.” Eddie said. “Let’s get going.”  
As they gathered everything, Adrian’s phone went off. He took it out. Marti again. “Please make sure you put on Jake’s coat if you go out. It’s getting colder.”  
He chuckled and started to reply, but then he got a message from Beverly. “Sorry about Marti. We trust you know how to take care of a baby. Phone is confiscated for the night. Have fun. <3”  
“Your daughter is as bad as you.” Adrian mumbled to Sydney.  
“How so?” She picked up the packages of cookies and sandwiches.  
He handed over his phone. “She’s been hounding me all night making sure I knew what I was doing.”  
“That’s more like you.” She accused. “The first time you came to Court after Josh was born, you were calling me every five minutes.”  
Eddie chuckled. “I remember that.”  
“Yeah, well, I was with him more than you and I was worried you would both flip out or the house would fall down or something.” He laughed. “Okay, she’s her father’s daughter.”  
“Probably why she’s texting you and not me.” Sydney pointed out.  
“Bev took her phone. No more worried Mommy texting for the rest of the night.” He hoisted Jakob up off the floor and snuggled him close. “Coat is on. Diaper changed. Diaper bag handy. I think we’re ready to go.”  
The girls squealed and ran out the door just a step ahead of Eddie who chased them all the way to the elevator.  
They sat in the park near Josh and Ivanna’s apartment building. The kids finished eating and Katya got up, running to the slide before her sisters even realized it. Phoebe scrambled up and ran after her. Natalya stood and took a few steps before turning around.  
“Papa?” She asked uncertainly. “Play?”  
“You want me to come with you?” Eddie asked.  
She nodded and held out her hand. “Grampa, too.”  
Adrian heaved an exaggerated sigh and stood. “I guess so.”  
“Hey!” Jakob called as they walked away.  
Adrian turned. “You too?”  
The boy held up his arms, griping at him in his sweet little voice for almost being left behind.  
“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Adrian said, lifting him off the ground.  
As their husbands went off to play with the children, Jill and Sydney moved closer to each other.  
Jill smiled and leaned her head on Sydney’s shoulder a moment. She sat back. “Look at those cute kids. And I can’t take credit for any of them.”  
“You can take plenty of credit.” Sydney assured her. “You raised Ivanna with lots of love and security after her other family died. Their personalities are a great legacy.”  
Jill’s smile turned rueful. “They act like Adrian sometimes. That’s a different legacy.”  
Sydney chuckled and rubbed her back. “Well, they do lots of things that remind me of you sometimes. Like how you were in Palm Springs.”  
“That was years ago.” Jill said.  
“Yeah.” Sydney sighed. “Don’t remind me.”  
Jill grinned. “Stop worrying about your age. Adrian sees you as you were the first time you met.” Sydney looked up and caught him staring a moment before he turned and chased after the kids again, Jakob laughing in his arms.  
“He’s still so gorgeous.” Sydney sighed. “Even more with the kids. He’s always been so good with kids.”  
“He has.” Jill agreed.  
“Eddie, too.”  
“Papa! Papa, catch me!” the oldest girl cried.  
“I’ll get you all right.” Eddie said, laughing, picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder. He ran around with her for a while, chasing the other girls along with Adrian, as the women watched.  
“Well, this is going to be an interesting night when all is said and done.” Jill mumbled.  
Sydney laughed. “You too?”  
“Oh, yeah.” She giggled. “Come on, let’s join them.”  
Sydney ran out of breath before any of the others did. She took Jakob from Adrian and sat down with him on a swing. She moved them slowly back and forth as she held him close to her chest.  
Jakob clapped his hands and babbled to the others as they ran back and forth in front of them. He lunged forward when Adrian kneeled in front of them. “Hi!” he said happily.  
“Hi.” Adrian pressed a kiss to the boy’s cheek. “Chilly. Colder than I realized.”  
“Well, you’ve been running around like a mad man for the better part of an hour.” Sydney pointed out.  
“Mad? Oh, I am the poster child for mad.” He laughed and pressed a hard kiss to her lips.  
She laughed into his mouth. “I think we should go back up to the apartment, get some hot chocolate, and settle in for a movie.”  
“I got Busty Blondes from Mars at home.” Eddie said, coming over with a girl under each arm.  
Jill glared at him. “Excuse me?”  
“It’s Niki’s movie.” He said defensively. “He brought it over for that guys’ night and then forgot it.”  
“I’m sure Eliza really appreciates that.” His wife said with a smile. “Anyway, not a kids’ movie.”  
Natalya patted her grandmother’s chest. “Cold.”  
“I know, sweetheart. We’re going to have some hot chocolate and watch that movie you guys like.”  
“The one with the bunny and the puppy that’s friends?” Katya asked, looking up at her grandfather.  
“The one with all the ‘splosions.” Phoebe argued.  
“Princess!” Natalya squealed.  
“I’m sure we can find something for all of us to enjoy.” Sydney stood from the swing. “Something with bunnies and puppies and princesses blowing things up.”  
Jakob squealed and clapped his hands.  
“You like the sound of that?” Sydney chuckled. “I’m sure that’s your mother’s kind of movie, too. Will you get the rest of the food, sweetheart?”  
“Anything for you, baby.” Adrian kissed her cheek.  
“You better say that.” She squeezed his arm gently and then headed toward the apartment building.

 

“We’re home.” Ivanna called softly as they all walked through the door.  
Natalya scrambled off the couch between Adrian and Eddie and ran across the room. “Mama!” She squealed.  
“Talya!” Ivanna scooped her daughter up and kissed her face. “Why aren’t you asleep?”  
“She refused.” Adrian walked over with Jakob squirming in his arms for Marti. “So did this one.”  
“Hi!” Jakob said.  
Marti gathered him to her and sighed. “Hello, my baby Jakey-boy.”  
He closed his eyes and breathed a contented sigh.  
Beverly wrapped her arms around both of them and kissed her son’s cheek. “Mommy and Mama missed you. Especially Mommy. She wouldn’t stop fidgeting the whole time.”  
“You would think she never left the kid before.” Josh teased. He lifted Katya off the floor. “How about we go to your bed? It will be much more comfortable.”  
“Yours, Daddy.” She demanded in her sleepy voice.  
Josh locked eyes with Ivanna. She nodded. “That other thing can wait.”  
He winked. “Maybe.”  
Marti covered Jakob’s ears. “There are children present.”  
“We were going to cuddle. Just us for once.” Josh argued. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Marti-farty.”  
“You promised never to call me that again, Joshie.” She shot back.  
“I’m ready to get Jake home.” Beverly broke into the sibling spat. “Come on, he’s tired and the sun is up.” She pressed her mouth close to her wife’s ear and whispered, “There’s something waiting for you there anyway.”  
“Children present, baby.” She turned her head and caught Beverly’s lips. She turned to her parents. “Thank you for letting us do this. It’s been too long since we had non-kid time with all four of us. And I’m sorry for all the texts earlier in the night.”  
Adrian shrugged. “It’s fine. We had fun with the little guy and his cousins.” He ruffled the boy’s hair.  
Jakob smiled sleepily at him and yawned.  
Adrian kissed his cheek. “See you tomorrow, baby boy.”  
Sydney bid him farewell and then stepped away. “We would very gladly watch him again while we’re here.”  
“We may take you up on that offer.” Beverly said, wrapping them each in a hug. “We really do appreciate this.”  
“We appreciate the time you let us have with him Jake.” Adrian pressed a kiss to Marti’s cheek. “No more worries, kiddo, okay? He was fine the whole time.”  
“Thank you, Daddy.” She patted Jakob’s back. “Time for your bed.” She turned to the door. “Love you all. I am exhausted.”  
“Not too exhausted, I hope.” Beverly said as she followed close behind.  
“Children, baby.” She said, moving a hand over her wife’s ass as they walked into the hallway.  
Adrian laughed and shook his head. “Your daughter.”  
Sydney chuckled. “Just mine? Let’s go back and check on the other one.”  
Jill and Eddie made their farewells to Josh and Ivanna.  
“Have a good day.” Jill said, kissing each of them on the cheek.  
“We’ll try.” Her daughter said with a laugh.  
“Careful with that cuddling. You may not need a fourth just yet.” Adrian teased.  
Ivanna patted Natalya’s back. “We have been talking about it, actually. We’ll see what happens in the next few months.”  
“Oh, boy.” Sydney sighed. She laughed. “Well, good luck.”  
“You’re gonna need it.” Adrian added.

**Author's Note:**

> If you would like to see more about Marti, Beverly, Josh, Ivanna, and their children, please feel free to visit the Tumblr storiesofthespawnofsydrian and learn more.


End file.
